Well-boring machine.



PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@AHQI'IJQ YS E. W. BRIGGS.

WELL BORING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR 10. 1903 no MODEL.

No. 747,126. PATENTED DEC. 15. 1903. E. W. BRIGGS.

WELL BORING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.10. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r WE Tar s Patented December 15, 1903.

arisnr trips.

WELL-BORING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7&73126, dated December. 15, 1903.

Application filed April 10, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND WALTER BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States, resid-i ing at Clinton, (Lyons P. O.,) in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Nell-Boring Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to well-boring machines, and more especially to machines having separate mechanisms for boring in soft earth and in rock.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of simple construction and efficient action in which are embodied two mechanisms driven from the same driving-wheel, one of which is adapted to bore rapidly through soft earth and the other of which is adapted. to drill through rock.

A further object of the invention is to provide improvements upon mechanisms for boring through earth and drilling through rock, by means of which more efiective action is obtained than in machines for the same purpose as hitherto constructed.

'With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the invention is more fully disclosed, the same consists, generally speaking, in a supporting-frame having at one end an earth-augur, with operating mechanism therefor, at the other end a rock-drill and operating mechanism therefor, and mounted between the two on a pivoted frame, by means of which its position may be shifted, a main driving-wheel, and mechanism for imparting motion thereto, said main drivingwheel being so constructed and so situated that it may be brought into driving connection with the operating mechanism of the earth-augur or rock-drill, as desired.

In the description of the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding partsare designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear, it being understood that changes may be made. in the exact form, proportions, and mode of assemblage of the elements therein exhibited without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings, Figure is a View in side Serial No. 152.074. (No model.)

elevation of the well-drilling machine embodyi-ng the earth-augur and rock-drill, parts being broken away to show some of the driving mechanism and the connections between the parts of the earth-auger. Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the mode of connection between'the drill rod and the gear, by means of which said rod is rotated. Fig. 4 is a detail view, partlyin section, showing the lower end of the boring-rod of the earth-augur with the'cutting-disk and associated structures mounted thereon. Fig. 5 is a detail view in section through the gear for rotating the boring-rod of the earth-augur and the associated structures. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cutting-disk, showing the flaps for closing the slots in said disk when the disk is being withdrawn from the hole. Fig. 7 is a view of an earth-augur and independent driving mechanism supported in a separate frame of somewhat-modified form. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing a modified form of the lower end of the boring-rod and the means for securing the boring-disk thereon. Fig. 9 is a detail view in plan of the hinges connecting the flaps of the cutting disk. Fig. 10 is a detail view from one side of one member of the hinge.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 designates the supporting-frame of a combined earth-auger and rock-drill having a base member 2, uprights 3 3 and 44, and a top brace 5. The uprights are arranged in pairs at either end of the machine and are preferably provided at the lower ends with leveling-screws 6. Each pair of uprights is connected at the top by a cross-plate, (designated 3 and 4 respectively,) and an opening is provided in each of the cross-plates for the passage of a boring-rod, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Referring now to the drill mechanism, the same consists in a rod 7., slidably mounted in the opening in cross-plate 3 and extending downward through the cross-plate 3", placed some distance below the cross-plate 3 and having-an opening for the passage of the drillrod. The drill-rod 7 is provided along one side with a groove 8 for the engagement of a key 9 upon a bevel-gear 10, which is loosely journaled on the drill-rod and rests upon the teeth separated by concave notches of the form shown, whose utility will be presently explained.

The drill-rod 7 is provided throughout all the upper portion thereof with circumferential ribs 14, which form a rack extending entirely around the drill-rod, and in order to impart movement to the drill-rod I provide a main driving-wheel15, mounted in bearings formed at the upper ends of standards 16, pivotally mounted on a short shaft 17, which is supported in journals in the oblique frame-brace 5. In order to hold the driving-wheel in engagement with the ribs 14 on the drill-rod, I provide at the lower end of the standards 16 a heavy tension-spring 19, which is connected to the lower end of one of said standards 16 and to the lower end of one of the oblique braces 5 the tension of the spring bein g adjustable by means of a thumb-screw 20 at the end thereof.

Motion is imparted to the driving-wheel15 by means of a small wheel 21, mounted on the shaft 17 and in mesh with the drivingwheel 15. A crank 22 is rigidly mounted upon one end of shaft 17 and afiords means for rotating said shaft and imparting movement to the wheels 21 and 15. It is obvious, however, that the crank may be replaced by a pulley and power supplied from any suitable motor.

If the wheel 15 were allowed to remain continuously in engagement with the ribs 14 upon the drill-rod, continuous movement upward or downward would result instead of the reciprocating movement desirable in drillrods. In order to provide for the reciprocation of the drill-rod in the usual manner, I pro-' vide means for forcing the driving-wheel 15 outof engagement with the drill-rod at short intervals, whereby the drill-rod is allowed to descend after being raised a short distance, and this causes the drill to strike sharply upon the rock at the bottom of the well-hole. The means for throwing the driving-wheel out of engagement with the drill comprises a trip member 23, which is preferably pivotally mounted on one of the standards 3 and adjustable in position by means of a set-screw 24, as shown, this adjustment being desirable to vary the period of engagement of the driving-wheel with the drill-rod. The driving-wheel is provided with a plurality of laterally-projecting pins 25, each of which is mounted in a radial slot 26 in the wheel and is held in position by means of a thumb-nut 27, which engages the threaded inner end of the pin. Upon each of the pins 25 is pro vided an antifriction-roll 28. As the Wheel 15 rotates the rolls 28 are caused to engage successively with the toothed plate 13 and with the trip 23. At each contact of one of the rolls with toothed plate 13 the plate 13 is caused to turn through a portion of a rotation corresponding to the fraction of the circumference which each notch upon the periphery forms. Thus in the mechanism illustrated at each contact of a roll 28 with a notch the plate 13 will be turned through one-eighth of a revolution, forthe reason "that eight notches are provided on the periphery of the plate. As the plate 13 is rigidly secured to bevel-gear 11, the bevel-gear 11 is turned a distance corresponding to that through which the notched plate moves, and a similar amount of rotation is communicated to bevel-gear 10, with which bevel-gear 11 is in mesh. The bevel-gear 10 is connected with drill-rod 7 by means of the key 9, which engages the groove 8, extending longitudinally of the rod, and consequently causes the drill-rod to be turned through oneeighth of a revolution at each engagement of one of the rolls 28 with the notched plate 13. After passing out of contact with the notched plate 13 the roll 28 comes in contact with the trip 23, riding over its inclined surface and forcing the wheel 15 out of engagement with the ribs 14, provided on the drill-rod, this movement of the wheel away from the drillrod being permitted by the spring 19, as previously explained. It will thus be seen that at each contact of one of the rolls 28 the drill-rod will be given a partial rotation and will also be released from engagement with the driving-wheel l5 and allowed to descend a distance equal to that through which it had been elevated during the period of engagement of the drill-rod and driving-wheel.

When drilling rock a short distance below the surface of the ground, the drill-head may be directly connected with the drill-rod by a screw which engages a socket at the bottom of the drill-rod, and additional efiect from the drill may be secured by providing at the top a weight 29, which is secured in position by means of a clamping-screw 30, as shown in the drawings. When the rock is at a considerable distance below the surface of the ground, the drill may be connected with the drill-rod by means of a rope in the usual way, the weight of the drill being then the only available force for use in giving impetus to the drill.

Between the uprights 4 4 of the main frame is mounted the earth-augur 31, which is provided with screw-threads 32 throughout the greater portion of its length and passes through a screw threaded opening in the cross-plate 4 at the top of the uprights 4 and through a similar cross-plate 4, placed at a lower point between the uprights 4. The opening in the cross-plate 4 is smooth instead of threaded. There is rotatably mounted in said opening a hub 33 of a bevel-gear 34, which meshes with the bevel-teeth on a compound gear 35, mounted upon a stud 36 on one of the uprights 4 4. The compound gear has, in addition to the bevel-teeth above mentioned, a series of transverse teeth which mesh under certain circumstances with the teeth of the main driving-wheel 15, already described.

In order to secure the hub 33 in position in the cross-plate 4 I provide a notch 33 at the top and bottom of the hub for engagement with the bent ends of a key 37, the body of which lies in alongitudinal groove 38, which extends along one side of the rod 31 throughout the greater portion of its length. The lower end of the key 37 is longer than the upper end and projects under the portion of the cross-plate 4 adjacent to the opening in which hub 33 is mounted, thus preventing the upward movement of the hub in bearings provided therefor in the cross-plate 4 as long as the key 37 is in position. In orderto prevent excessive friction between the bevelgear 34 and the plate 4 I provide a washer 39, which encircles the hub 33 just below the "ear.

b While I have shown only a single longitudinal groove in the boring-rod 31 and a single key 37 for engagement therewith, it is obvious that if a stronger connection is desired a plurality of keys may be used to engage with the corresponding number of curves placed upon the boring-rod.

At the lower end of the boring-rod 31 there is provided a reduced portion 40, having threads at the bottom thereof for the attachment of a boring-point 41, but having most of its surface smooth, as shown, for a purpose that will be presently explained. The boring-point 41 is conical and provided with a spiral groove in the usual way in order to get a hold upon the earth as it is forced downward into the ground, and itis secured in position upon the end of the boring-rod by means of internal screw-threads, which engage with the screw-threads provided on the rod, and by means of a pin or screw extending through the opening provided in the point 4]. and in the rod, as shown. Before the attachment of the point 41 to the rod the cutting-disk 42 is placed upon the reduced portion 40, and after the point 41 has been secured in position the disk 42 is susceptible of a slight movement longitudinally of the rod on the reduced portion 40. At its upper surface the hub of the disk is provided with two inclines 43, which formclutch-surfaces adapted to cooperate with reverse inclines 44, provided on a shoulder formed on the rod itself or on a sleeve 45, which is rigidly fastened to the rod if the inclines are not cut on the rod itself. The object of this construction is to permit the cutting-disk to be rotated upon the rod when it is at the lower end of the reduced portion 40 and to cause it to be held in rigid association with the rod when at the upper end of the reduced portion 40. The advantage of a connection permitting such movement under the circumstances stated will be explained when the operation of the device is described.

Rotatably mounted upon the boring-rod and secured to the hub 33 of bevel-gear 34 is a spreader 46, which is caused to rotate with the bevel-gear 34 by means of a rod 47, which passes through the hub 33 in a groove provided therefor and is attached at its lower end to the spreader 46. The rod 47 is provided at its upper end with a nut 43 to hold it in position, and below the hub 33 it is encircled by a spiral spring 49, which has its upper end in contact with the hub 33 and its lower end resting against a lug provided for that purpose upon the rod 47. It will thus be seen that the spreader 46 is susceptible of upward movement on the boring-rod against the tension of the spring 49; but it is so connected with the hub 33, which is keyed to the boring-rod, that it must rotate with the rod. The spreader 24, being held normally just above the level of the ground and being rotated with the bearing-rod, serves as the cutting-disk rises from the wall to spread outward around the top thereof the earth brought up by the cutting-disk.

The cutting-disk 42 comprises two semicircular portions separated by a slot on each side of the hub of the disk, and one edge of each semicircular portion of the disk is sharpened, so as to present suitable cutting edges. The two sections of the diskitself are slightly inclined, as shown, in the usual way. On the under surface of each of the semicircular sections adjacent to the cutting edge thereof I provide a downwardly-extending lip 50, which is useful in cutting through sod and in smoothing the interior of the hole formed by the anger. At the top of each semicircular section of the disk, at the dull edge thereof, I attach by suitable hinges 51 a flap 52, having the triangular shape shown in Fig. 6 and having its free longitudinal and outer-curved margin sharpened to present an edge. Upon the back of each of the members of the hinges 51, which are attached to the flap 52, there is a projection 53, which prevents the flap from being drawn too far over toward the section of the cutting-disk to which it is attached. The hinges 51 are also provided with cam surfaces on the engaging faces thereof, so disposed that when a flap 52 is allowed to drop upon the section of the disk over which it is supported the cam-surfaces of the hinges will force the disk outward into engagement with the side of the hole cut by the auger. When the cutting-disk is driven forward, so as to bore downward into the earth, the flaps 52 will be raised from the sections of the disk over which they lie by the passage of the earth over the cutting edges of the disk-sections; but when the disk is turned in the opposite direction the flaps 52 will drop downwardupon the sections over which they lie and will efiectively prevent ITO the slots between the disk-sections. The

cam-surfaces of the hinges by which the flaps are attached to the disk-sections will coact to force the flaps outward and bring the curved edges thereof in contact with the wall of the When it is desired to drive the earth-auger,

the tension of spring 19 is diminished, and the tension of a similar spring 54, connected with the lower end of one of the standards 16 and one of the uprights 3, is increased, so that the pivoted standards 16 are swung on the shaft 17 until the driving-wheel 15 is brought into mesh with the transverse teeth on compound gear 35, which has its bevelteeth in mesh with bevel-gear 34, keyed to the boring-rod 31. The power transmitted to the driving-wheel 15 through the crank or a pulley substituted therefor will impart-rotation to the boring-rod, which will be forced downward or upward through its engagement with the threaded opening 32 in cross-plate 4, according to the direction of rotation given to the boring-rod. If the rotation is such as to force the boring-rod downward, the cutting-disk 42 will be brought into contact with the upper surface of the ground and be forced by said contact upward into engagement with the clutch devices provided on the boringrod, so that the disk will be caused to rotate with the boring-rod and to bore downward into the earth in the usual way.

When it is desired to remove theloose earth from the well-hole, the direction of rotation of the boring-rod will be reversed. The weight of the earth in the hole, together with the action of the flaps 52, will draw the disk downward out of engagement with the clutch devices on the boring-rod, so that the boringrod will rotate freely while the disk remains stationary so far as rotary movement is concerned. As the boring-rod moves upward the cutting-disk, which rests then upon the upper surface of point 41, will travel with it and carry upward the earth which has been loosened by the boring action of the disk. As this looseearth rises above the level of the ground it will be spread around the top of the drill-hole by the action of the spreader described in a preceding paragraph, which is keyed to the hub 33 of bevel-gear 34 and is caused to rotate therewith, but does not move upward with the boring-rod.

It is obvious that if it is desired to do so the earth-auger may be supported in a frame separate from the rock-drill and separate driving mechanism provided therefor, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The frame may be formed square or triangular, the square form being illustrated, and consists of uprights 60, brace members 61, a cap 62, having an internally-threaded opening 63 for engagement with the boring-rod (designated 64) and a cross-plate 65 for the support of bevel-gear 66, which receives motion from bevel-gear 67, supported on short shafts 68, attached to the frame 60, as shown, and provided at its outer end with a crank 69 or other means for imparting motion thereto. As shown in this form of construction, the rotary spreader (designated 70) is connected with a thimble 71, which is supported on a frame 72, in which the thimble rotates with the boring-rod upon which it is longitudinally movable.

The uprights 60in the frame for the earthauger alone may be provided with levelingscrews similar to those used with the combined machine or for convenience in transporting the machine may have wheels provided on one pair of supports and levelingscrews or other adjusting devices, such as the extensible feet shown in the drawings, provided on the other pair of uprights.

In using the combined earth-auger and rock-drill it will of course be understood that the earth-auger will ordinarily be brought into play first to penetrate the earth down to the bed-rock, and when that is reached the earth-auger will be withdrawn from the wellhole, the machine reversed to bring the drill over the hole, and the driving-wheel 15 will be shifted out of engagement with the gear 35 on the earth-auger and brought into ongagement with the circumferential ribs 14 on the drill-rod 7. As the modes of operation of the two partsof the machine have been separately described, further description thereof appears to be unnecessary at this point.

The modification of the lower end of the boring-rod shown in Fig. 8 comprises the substitution for the removable point 41, which serves in the preferred form of the apparatus to keep the cutting-disk on the rod, of a collar 41, which is internally threaded, as shown, and is screwed upon the boring-rod until it reaches the desired position, where it is secured by means of a pin extending through an opening in the boring-rod and openings in the collar. When the collar 41 is used instead of the detachable boringpoint 41, the lower end of the boring-rod is pointed, as shown in Fig. 8, so as to enter the ground readily.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a well-boring machine comprising a supporting-frame, an earth-auger and operating devices therefor and a rock-drill and operating devices therefor, driving mechanism, movably supported in said frame and adapted to be brought into engagement with the operating devices on the earth-auger or rock-drill as desired.

2. The combination in a well-boring machine comprising a supporting-frame having uprights at either end, an earth-auger provided with operating devices mounted in the uprights at one end and a rock-drill mounted in the uprights at the other end, of a pair of pivoted standards, a driving-wheel mounted in said standards, and means for shifting the position of said standards whereby said drivingrwheel may be brought into engagement with said rock-drill or with the operating means for said earth-auger.

3. The combination in a well-boring machinecomprising a supporting-frame having uprights at either end, a drill having a rack formed thereon rotat-ably mounted between the uprights at one end of said frame, a trip mechanism provided on said drill-supporting uprights, an earth-auger mounted in the uprights at the other end of said frame, and gearing for rotating said earth-auger, of a pair of pivoted standards, a driving-wheel mounted in bearings on said standards and adapted to engage the driving-gearing of said earth-auger or the rack formed on said rockdrill, and provided with laterally-projecting pins for engagement with the trip mechanism of said rock-drill to throw the drivingwheel out of engagement with the rack formed on the drill.

4.. The combination in a well-boring ma chine of a boring-rod, means for rotating said boring-rod for forcing it downward, and a cutting-disk formed in substantially semicircular sections, a pivoted flap mounted at one edge of each of said sections, and means for forcing said flaps outwardwhen they are allowed to move downward into contact with the adjacent disk-section.

5. The combination in a Well-boring machine of a boring-rod, a cutting-disk at the end of said rod, and a spreader connected with said rod so as to rotate therewith and supported at a point just above the surface of the ground.

6. The combination in a well-boring machine of a boring-rod, a cutting-disk at the end of said boring-rod, and a spreader connected with said boring-rod so as to rotate therewith and yieldably supported just above the surface of the ground.

7. The combination in a well-boring machine, of a boring-rod, a cutting-disk at the end of said boring-rod, a driving-gear keyed to said boring-rod but permitting the longitudinal movement of said boring-rod therein, and a spreader connected with said gear so as to rotate therewith and supported just above the surface of the ground.

8. The combination in a well-boring machine, of a boring-rod, a cutting-disk at the end of said boring-rod, a gear keyed to said boring-rod but permitting the longitudinal movement of said rod therein, a spreader having a sleeve through which said boringrod passes, and a rod attached to said spreader and extending through an opening in said gear.

9. The combination in a Well-boring machine, of a boring-rod, a cutting-disk at the end of said boring-rod, a gear keyed to said boringrod so as to rotate therewith but permitting the longitudinal movement of the boring-rod therein, aspreaderhavinga sleeve through'which said boring-rod passes, and a rod attached to said spreader and yieldably held against sliding movement in an opening in said gear.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND WALTER BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

FR. DIECKMANN, W. L. DIEOKMANN. 

